Date & Time:
Dec 9, 1942 at 2300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
X3393
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
East Wretham - East Wretham
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF East Wretham at 1737LT on an operation to Torino. While returning to base in the late evening, it was shot down by a German fighter, caught fire in the air and crashed near Sergines. All five crew members parachuted to safety. Three became PoW and two evaded.
Crew:
Sgt Sydney Percival Smith, pilot,
Sgt Hawthorn Dalrymple Reid, navigator,
Sgt Lawrence Joseph McCosham, radio operator,
Sgt John Roy Tolmie, bomb aimer,
Sgt Robert McCullough Devine, air gunner.
Crew:
Sgt Sydney Percival Smith, pilot,
Sgt Hawthorn Dalrymple Reid, navigator,
Sgt Lawrence Joseph McCosham, radio operator,
Sgt John Roy Tolmie, bomb aimer,
Sgt Robert McCullough Devine, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
